EXPOSED: Canada's secret tar sands lobbying of UK ministers

Documents obtained by The Cooperative and
Friends of the Earth Europe through Freedom of Information requests and shared
with Greenpeace reveal numerous high-level meetings between Canadian
ministers, oil executives and British government officials focused on the UK’s
position on a new EU policy that would significantly restrict tar sands oil
coming into Europe.

The heavily redacted documents reveal the
sheer scale of the lobbying effort by Canadian government officials in the run
up to the vote this Friday on the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) in the EU –
which as it stands would significantly restrict the import of tar sands oil
into the EU.

The UK started out supporting the FQD
but, thanks to the mammoth lobbying campaign by Canadian officials and
representatives from big oil, the UK are now actively blocking the proposals.

Key ministers, including the Lib Dem transport
minister Norman Baker, were lobbied hard and are now doing the dirty work
of the Canadian government and big oil in the EU.

Much of the key correspondence, and in
particular the briefings from Shell, have been redacted or withdrawn altogether
indicating the government is still seeking to cover up the extent of the oil
lobbying. Some documents contain nothing more than a Shell logo followed by
pages of large black squares.

We’ve long suspected the close relationship
between the British and Canadian governments and big oil, now we have the
documents to prove it. Amongst the collection of papers are correspondence, presentations, meeting agendas and minutes. Key
quotes from the document include:

29th September – Canadian Minister Kenney “delighted that PM
Cameron had visited last week… He particularly appreciated the broader
change in tone on the oil sands.”

2nd Sept – Foreign Office eGram called ‘UK negotiating position
on EU Fuel Quality Directive Commission proposal’ included “instructions
to communicate our position, and seek Canadian views on what might be
acceptable”. The instructions themselves were witheld. Signed off by William Hague.

24th October – Charles Hendry to Canadian High Commissioner:
“As I made clear we would value continued discussion with you on how we
can progress discussions in Brussels” and “my officials stand ready to
assist where appropriate”.